Ball socket with spring retention ring

Abstract

A ball and socket assembly includes a support having a plurality of arms extending between a face plate and a base, and defining a socket cup. A spherical end of a ball stud is disposed within the socket cup in a snap fit engagement with the plurality of arms. A radial biasing device is disposed annularly about an outer periphery of an upper portion of the plurality of arms to resist movement of the plurality of arms radially outward relative to the longitudinal axis, thereby increasing a retention force resisting removal of the spherical end of the ball stud from within the socket cup.

1 . A ball and socket assembly comprising:
 a support having a face plate defining an opening, a base spaced from the face plate along a longitudinal axis, and a plurality of arms extending between the face plate and the base and cooperating to define a socket cup;   a ball stud having a substantially spherical end defining a diameter disposed within the socket cup in a snap fit engagement with the plurality of arms;   wherein each of the plurality of arms includes an upper portion disposed adjacent the face plate and extending radially inward toward the longitudinal axis to define a diameter of the opening that is smaller than the diameter of the spherical end of the ball stud; and   a radial biasing device disposed annularly about an outer periphery of the upper portions of the plurality of arms and configured to resist movement of the plurality of arms radially outward relative to the longitudinal axis.   
     
     
         2 . A ball and socket assembly as set forth in  claim 1  wherein the radial biasing device includes one of a spring retention ring or a spring clip. 
     
     
         3 . A ball and socket assembly as set forth in  claim 1  wherein the radial biasing device includes a spring retention ring including an elongated planar strip formed into a coil defining at least two laminations. 
     
     
         4 . A ball and socket assembly as set forth in  claim 1  further comprising a plurality of legs extending between the face plate and the base. 
     
     
         5 . A ball and socket assembly as set forth in  claim 4  wherein the plurality of legs cooperate to define a groove disposed annularly about the longitudinal axis, with the radial biasing device is disposed within the groove. 
     
     
         6 . A ball and socket assembly as set forth in  claim 5  wherein the groove is disposed in an outer peripheral surface of the plurality of legs. 
     
     
         7 . A ball and socket assembly as set forth in  claim 1  wherein the radial biasing device includes an un-sprung inner circumference approximately equal to an outer circumference of the plurality of arms when the radial biasing device is in a non-expanded state. 
     
     
         8 . A ball and socket assembly as set forth in  claim 7  wherein the radial biasing device is configured to resist radial expansion of the inner circumference beyond the un-sprung inner circumference. 
     
     
         9 . A ball and socket assembly as set forth in  claim 1  wherein the base defines a bore concentric with the longitudinal axis, and further comprising a mounting screw disposed within the bore. 
     
     
         10 . A ball and socket assembly as set forth in  claim 9  wherein the base defines a chamber disposed between the socket cup and the base, with a head of the mounting screw disposed within the chamber. 
     
     
         11 . A ball and socket assembly comprising:
 a support having a face plate defining an opening, a base spaced from the face plate along a longitudinal axis, a plurality of legs extending between the face plate and the base, and a plurality of arms extending between the face plate and the base and cooperating to define a socket cup;   a ball stud having a substantially spherical end defining a diameter disposed within the socket cup in a snap fit engagement with the plurality of arms;   wherein each of the plurality of arms includes an upper portion disposed adjacent the face plate and extending radially inward toward the longitudinal axis to define a diameter of the opening that is smaller than the diameter of the spherical end of the ball stud; and   a radial biasing device disposed annularly about an outer periphery of the upper portions of the plurality of arms and configured to resist movement of the plurality of arms radially outward relative to the longitudinal axis;   wherein the radial biasing device includes an un-sprung inner circumference approximately equal to an outer circumference of the plurality of arms when the radial biasing device is in a non-expanded state, and is configured to resist radial expansion of the inner circumference beyond the un-sprung inner circumference; and   wherein the plurality of legs cooperate to define a groove disposed annularly about the longitudinal axis in an outer peripheral surface of the plurality of legs, with the radial biasing device disposed within the groove.   
     
     
         12 . An aimable lighting assembly for a vehicle, the aimable lighting assembly comprising:
 a frame defining an interior space;   a lighting device/module disposed within the interior space;   an adjuster attached to the frame and configured for adjusting a position of the lighting device/module relative to the frame; and   a ball and socket assembly interconnecting the lighting device/module and the adjuster, the ball and socket assembly comprising:
 a support having a face plate defining an opening, a base spaced from the face plate along a longitudinal axis, and a plurality of arms extending between the face plate and the base and cooperating to define a socket cup; 
 a ball stud having a substantially spherical end defining a diameter disposed within the socket cup in a snap fit engagement with the plurality of arms, and extending from the spherical end to a distal end coupled to the adjuster; 
 wherein each of the plurality of arms includes an upper portion disposed adjacent the face plate and extending radially inward toward the longitudinal axis to define a diameter of the opening that is smaller than the diameter of the spherical end of the ball stud; and 
 a radial biasing device disposed annularly about an outer periphery of the upper portion of the plurality of arms and configured to resist movement of the plurality of arms radially outward relative to the longitudinal axis. 
   
     
     
         13 . An aimable lighting assembly as set forth in  claim 12  further comprising a plurality of legs extending between the face plate and the base. 
     
     
         14 . An aimable lighting assembly as set forth in  claim 13  wherein the plurality of legs cooperate to define a groove disposed annularly about the longitudinal axis, with the radial biasing device is disposed within the groove. 
     
     
         15 . An aimable lighting assembly as set forth in  claim 14  wherein the groove is disposed in an outer peripheral surface of the plurality of legs. 
     
     
         16 . An aimable lighting assembly as set forth in  claim 12  wherein the radial biasing device includes an un-sprung inner circumference approximately equal to an outer circumference of the plurality of arms when the radial biasing device is in a non-expanded state. 
     
     
         17 . An aimable lighting assembly as set forth in  claim 16  wherein the radial biasing device is configured to resist radial expansion of the inner circumference beyond the un-sprung inner circumference. 
     
     
         18 . An aimable lighting assembly as set forth in  claim 12  wherein the base defines a bore concentric with the longitudinal axis, and wherein the ball and socket assembly further includes a mounting screw disposed within the bore and in threaded engagement with a boss of the lighting device/module. 
     
     
         19 . An aimable lighting assembly as set forth in  claim 18  wherein the base defines a chamber disposed between the socket cup and the base, with a head of the mounting screw disposed within the chamber.